Member states of the International Criminal Court voted Friday to remove chief prosecutor Karim Khan following misconduct allegations, making him the first prosecutor in the court’s history to be forced from office.

Khan, who pursued arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, was accused of misconduct involving a female aide. He has repeatedly denied the allegations and disputed the findings of an independent investigation.

The decision was approved by a majority of the ICC’s 125 member states during a special meeting in New York. Khan had already been on leave since May 2025 while the allegations were investigated.

The removal followed a prolonged process marked by internal disputes and competing efforts either to oust Khan immediately or allow him to remain in office while challenging the findings. Member states ultimately concluded that he could no longer continue as the court’s chief prosecutor.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)